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Cited by 69Attachment and Relationship DynamicsSocial Power and Status DynamicsPersonality Traits and Psychology

Fostering partner dependence as trust insurance: The implicit contingencies of the exchange script in close relationships.

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Murray, Sandra L., Aloni, Maya, Holmes, John G., Derrick, Jaye L., Stinson, Danu Anthony, Leder, Sadie·2009·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
DOI 10.1037/a0012856PMC PMC2630589
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Abstract

A model of the trust-insurance system is proposed to examine how people with low and high self-esteem cope with the interdependence dilemma posed by feeling inferior to a romantic partner. Feeling inferior automatically activates "if-then" contingencies that link inferiority to the exchange script (i.e., partner qualities are evenly traded) and exchange script anxieties to reparative efforts to secure a partner's dependence. A daily diary study of newlyweds and 5 experiments supported the model. Induced upward social comparisons to the partner activated exchange anxieties for low, but not high, self-esteem people. When implicitly primed, the exchange script heightened worries about being inferior and motivated behavioral efforts to increase the partner's dependence regardless of self-esteem. When consciously deliberated, the exchange script elicited dependence promotion only for low self-esteem people.

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  • Low self-esteem individuals cope less successfully with various stress-situations in the relationship.

    “In general, low self-esteem individuals cope less successfully with various stress-situations in the relationship (Cameron et al., 2009;Murray, Aloni, et al., 2009;Murray, Leder, et al., 2009).”

    From The Role of Social Network Sites in Romantic Relationships: Effects on Jealousy and Relationship Happiness (2011) · cites this paper as Murray, Aloni, et al., 2009

    The Abstract and General Discussion (page numbers unavailable) report that low-self-esteem people showed greater anxiety about inferiority and replacement in specific relationship situations, supporting a narrower version of the claim. The paper does not establish that they cope less successfully across various relationship stressors; the General Discussion also suggests their dependence-promoting response may protect relationships in the short term. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Self-esteem has repeatedly been found to moderate processes in romantic relationships.

    “self-esteem has repeatedly been found to moderate processes in romantic relationships (Cameron, Holmes, & Vorauer, 2009;Murray, Aloni, et al., 2009;Murray, Leder, et al., 2009).”

    From The Role of Social Network Sites in Romantic Relationships: Effects on Jealousy and Relationship Happiness (2011) · cites this paper as Murray, Aloni, et al., 2009

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Authors
Murray, S. L., Aloni, M., Holmes, J. G., Derrick, J. L., Stinson, D. A., & Leder, S.
Affiliations
  • University at Buffalo, State University of New York (US)
  • University of Waterloo (CA)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2009-02
Volume
96
Issue
2
Pages
324-348
ISSN
  • 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1315
DOI
10.1037/a0012856
PMC
PMC2630589
OpenAlex
W1975514462
Cited by
69
References
8
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 4
FWCI
6.96
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • UVic’s Research and Learning Repository (University of Victoria) (submittedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (MH 60105-02)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social Power and Status Dynamics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
Keywords
self-esteem, inferiority, upward social comparison, newlyweds, close relationships, romantic relationships, implicit priming
MeSH terms
Adult, Anxiety, Female, Humans, Insurance, Health, Male, Models, Psychological, Prejudice, Surveys and Questionnaires, Self Concept, Sexual Partners, Codependency, Psychological, Young Adult

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